Milly Caller in court over assisted suicide case

A 22-year-old woman who was “obsessed and infatuated” with her best mate helped her kill herself out of “misguided loyalty” a jury was told today. (Tuesday)

Amelia Caller discussed suicide with her closest friend Emma Crossman, 21, on Facebook and via text messages before buying the gas which Miss Crossman used to take her own life.

The jury heard that Emma had a history of self harm and had reacted badly to the breakdown of a two year relationship with her boyfriend Adrian Kemp,56.

Caller bought her a gas canister but it was taken from Emma by Mr Kemp. Four days later Caller ordered a second supply and within hours of its delivery Emma used it to take her own life.

As Emma began to kill herself she gave a running commentary in messages to Caller who responded “okey, dokey”.

Mark McKone, prosecuting, told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court “Emma specifically is saying she is going to use it. At that stage Amelia tells Emma she will be fine.”

Caller later found the body of her friend on the living room floor of her terraced home in Leicester Street, in Sleaford. Nearby was a suicide note which ended with the words “Goodbye. I love you all. Emma”.

Police inquiries later revealed a string of Facebook and text messages between the two women in which they discussed how Emma was going to take her own life.

Mark McKone, prosecuting, told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court ““Amelia Caller assisted her to commit suicide by supplying her with the gas in an act of misguided loyalty.

“Emma Crossman had a history of depression, self harm and tablet overdoses. She reacted particularly badly to splitting up with boyfriends.

“She had split with her partner of two years, a man called Adrian Kemp, about four to six weeks before her death.

“The prosecution accept that some people who knew her didn’t always take her threats to kill herself seriously.”

Mr McKone told the jury that a month before the death the two women had talked on Facebook about Emma killing herself.

“Amelia Caller took this seriously as she suggested a final day out like a goodbye thing.”

The jury was told that in one message Caller wrote to her friend “It’ll be ok. I’ll help you through it.”

Later Caller sent a message which read “I was just thinking. If you want to we can have a fun day out like a goodbye thing.”

She also wrote to Emma saying “I’m losing my best mate. I do understand you are doing it.”

And in a further message Caller wrote “I just keep thinking I murdered you. I know you will still have got it. I still feel like I’ve murdered you. It feels horrible.”

Mr McKone said the two young women met as teenagers and became close friends. He told the jury “The evidence suggests that Amelia Caller was obsessed and infatuated with Emma Crossman and would do anything for her. They spent a lot of time together particularly after Emma split from her partner.

“Amelia Caller accepts her friend told her she wanted to commit suicide. She accepts her friend asked her to get a canister of gas in order to kill herself. She accepts she bought the gas for Emma.

“Amelia Caller says she is not guilty because she did not believe her friend would kill herself and therefore she didn’t intend to assist her to commit suicide.”

Amelia Caller ,22, of Great Hale, Lincs, denies encouraging or assisting in the suicide of Emma Crossman between 12 and 15 January 2014 in a charge brought under the 1961 Suicide Act.